Without limiting the scope of the present inventions, their background is described with reference to Inflow Control Devices (ICDs) and design improvements thereto. Inflow Control Devices are designed to improve completion performance and efficiency by balancing inflow throughout the length of a completion. Differences in influx from the reservoir can result in premature water/gas breakthrough, leaving valuable resources in the ground. Typical applications include wells experiencing “heel-toe” effects, breakthrough of water/gas, permeability differences, and water challenges in high viscous oil reservoirs. Another benefit of this technology is that it can balance the fluid injected into the formation in injection wells. U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,469,743 and 7,802,621, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, disclose ICDs for sand control screens.
An example of an inflow control device is commercially available from Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. under the trade mark EquiFlow® Inflow Control Device. The EquiFlow® ICD consists of an annular chamber on a standard oilfield tubular. If screen is required, the reservoir fluid is produced from the formation, through the sand screen and into the flow chamber. The flow continues through a set of tubes, which creates a pressure drop, and then into the pipe through a set of ports. Tube length and ID are designed to give the pressure drop needed for optimum completion efficiency. EquiFlow® Adjustable ICDs are pre-configured with a set of tubes that may be re-configured on the rig to change the pressure drop. A slidable housing provides flow tube access. Typically, multiple tubes per ICD are used. Disclosure regarding the EquiFlow® ICD is available on-line.
In many applications, it is beneficial to run the ICD in a closed position during installation. This allows for circulation of fluid down to the shoe and up the annular space outside of a sand screen without using a wash pipe. It is also possible to pressurize the completion to activate other components, like open hole packers. A delayed opening valve has been developed as well. This valve is activated by applying a high tubing pressure to shear a mechanism. Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. manufactures and markets a remotely-opened valve for use with ICDs which holds internal pressure when closed, but opens the screen to full production flow after sufficient internal pressure is applied and released. A remote-open valve is typically installed on each joint of screen, with the valves in the closed position as the screens are run into the well. The valves are sealed to internal pressure only, allowing the screens to fill with well fluid when they are run into the well. When the valves are closed, the entire completion assembly including the screens can be pressurized internally to pressure test the tubing, and pressure can be applied to set downhole devices, such as packer or other operational tools in the completion string. The valve mechanism is made up of a collet and ball assembly with the collet held in a run-in position by an externally inserted shear pin. When enough pressure is applied, the shear pin shears, the collet shifts and locks in an open position while still holding tubing pressure. The number of remote-open valve units is determined by the flow rate required or desired.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,762,341, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, discloses a flow control device utilizing a reactive media, comprising a flow path associated with a production control device (e.g., sand screen and ICD); an “occlusion member” (e.g., piston) positioned along the flow path that moves between an open position and a closed position, the occlusion member being activated by a change in a pressure differential in the flow path; and a “reactive media” (e.g., a water swellable material or an oil swellable material) disposed along the flow path that changes a pressure differential across at least a portion of the flow path by interacting with a selected fluid (e.g., water, of a sufficient concentration or amount, encountered by the production control device) to thereby actuate the occlusion member.
U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2011/0067886, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes, discloses a completion assembly with a valve assembly for regulating fluid flow in a wellbore. The completion assembly can include a base pipe with a sand screen. A flow control housing is disposed on one end of the sand screen. A first tubular port in the base pipe leads into the flow control housing, and a second tubular port is also formed in the base pipe. A flow path is formed within the flow control housing and communicates with both the base pipe and the inner annulus of the screen assembly. A valve assembly is located in the flow control housing and is in fluid communication with both the inner annulus and the base pipe. The valve assembly is positionable between multiple positions for controlling the flow through the flow control flow path in response to fluid pressure applied to the second tubular port.
Therefore, it will be appreciated that advancements in the art of inflow control devices are desirable, and such advancements are also beneficial in a wide variety of circumstances.